The Nina Braunwald Career Development Award is a very generous research award. Receipt of this award has contributed significantly to my ability to continue to pursue research efforts while concurrently practicing as a pediatric cardiac surgeon. The training in cardiac surgery and pediatric cardiac surgery is long, and oftentimes, one moves during various phases of the training process. Such moves and instability can make it difficult to continue productive research and can make it particularly difficult to be competitive for NIH funding when one finally begins their practice after training. This award has allowed us to resume work on a project which is high risk but which could significantly change the way that we perform transplantation. We are approaching tolerance induction through a novel method in which we utilize the potential of an individual’s own hematopoietic stem cells for self/non-self determination as the guiding principle. Not only has this award allowed us to resume work on this project, it has allowed us to support a research fellow and medical student in their efforts, elements that are crucial to our goal of training future generations.

Mission Statement

To foster the development of surgeon scientists in cardiothoracic surgery; increasing knowledge and innovation to benefit patient care.